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Bend your company’s healthcare cost curve 5 principles for lowering your healthcare costs and creating a healthier workforce In 2016, Novant Health provided care for its 24,000 team members and their dependents at a lower cost than the year before. This was a first in the organization’s history and resulted in a savings of $1.4 million. Industry experts said it couldn’t be done. The experts were wrong. This case study explains how we at Novant Health mobilized our team members and leveraged our resources to achieve the impossible — and how we can help your organization do the same. Challenging the impossible For nearly a decade, the national imperative has been clear: hospitals, doctors, nurses and insurers have been asked to work together to improve quality, expand coverage, and lower costs. Today, more Americans have insurance than ever before, and studies show that quality is improving in many parts of the country. However, lowering healthcare costs still seems like an impossible feat. At Novant Health, we like to challenge the impossible every day. That is how we’ve become a national leader in healthcare transformation — making communities healthier and the patient experience remarkable. In 2016, we spent less We finished the year per member per month (PMPM) to provide $10 million under our healthcare for our team members and their projected costs and dependents. We finished the year $10 million achieved $1.4 million under our projected costs and achieved $1.4 in total savings. million in total savings. In essence, we bent our own cost curve. In this case study, we’ve provided five principles to help you take charge of your company’s healthcare costs and, more importantly, the health of your most valuable asset — your team members. 1 A healthy workforce is critical to a healthy bottom line You’ve read the headlines and know the story: the American workforce is increasingly plagued by chronic disease and unmanaged health risk factors. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measured the economic impact of employee absenteeism related to high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. The study concluded that those conditions and risk factors alone account for more than $2 billion in annual absenteeism costs. For smaller employers, absenteeism costs ranged from $16 to $81 per employee per year. The range was even greater for larger employers at $17 to $286 per employee per year. Intuitively, the study concluded that absenteeism increased with the number of risk factors and diseases reported. You’ve almost certainly encountered these same challenges within your own workforce and have taken steps to mitigate their impact. But how are you measuring the overall health of your workforce? More importantly, how are you motivating your team members to get healthy, and how are you measuring positive change in their attitudes and behaviors? Novant Health’s cost success story is largely attributed to our team members’ commitment to improving their own health. In 2016, our team members demonstrated this commitment by: •Visiting their primary care doctors for regular check-ups. •Receiving preventive screenings based on their age and overall health status. •Taking their prescription medications exactly as prescribed. •Following their discharge instructions after a hospital stay. •Participating in our wellness programs. The outcome was fewer visits to the emergency room and fewer hospitalizations for our more than 24,000 team members and their dependents. The annual cost of absenteeism Small employers Large employers $16 to $81 $17 to $286 per employee per employee Measure the pulse of your workforce Novant Health Corporate Health offers on-site screenings and assessments to provide a complete picture of your company’s overall health. Our licensed staff provides employee health risk assessments and screenings for cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and more. Screenings include detailed risk factor reports and personalized feedback to help lower risk and manage existing conditions. These reports enable you to strategically determine programs and services that target your employees’ greatest modifiable risk factors. To learn more, call 1-866-634-9425 or visit NovantHealth.org/corphealth. 2 A culture of wellness is built around creativity, consistency and communication Understanding and valuing the overall health of your workforce is just the beginning. In order to truly take control of your company’s healthcare costs, you must build a culture of wellness in your organization. Commitment to your team members’ health must be hardwired into your day-to-day operations. From healthy choices in your cafeterias to educational opportunities and incentivizing preventive care, wellness has to be a top-level strategic priority 365 days a year. More importantly, it must be communicated clearly and consistently to your entire team all year long. Finally, in the battle against rising healthcare costs, you must be willing to get creative and take strategic risks. Here are two examples of how Novant Health leveraged its resources strategically and creatively to attain lower costs in 2016: •We began offering diabetes supplies at no charge to our team members and their dependents covered in our plan. Providing these lancets and test strips meant that our plan incurred additional costs, but it was a calculated risk based on this premise: If more people are able to control their condition, they will avoid expensive hospital stays for out-of-control diabetes. It worked. •We used analytical tools to identify covered team members and dependents at the highest risk for hospital readmission, and we targeted our high-touch healthcare planning to those individuals. This strategy resulted in 30-day readmission rates plunging from 13 percent to This strategy resulted just 2.9 percent. Not only did this reduce the in 30-day readmission cost of claims, it meant that individuals were rates plunging from staying healthier. 13 percent to just 2.9 percent. As you develop a plan to bend your own cost curve, it’s important to leverage every resource at your disposal. As a healthcare organization, we were able to plan and implement the above strategies through existing channels and processes. As you develop your own strategies, look for operational gaps hindering you from reaching your goals and align with strategic partners to help close those gaps. 3 Programs are pathways to success Building a culture of wellness in your organization also requires effective, sustainable programming. As you evaluate the current wellness landscape of your company, ask yourself these questions: •How healthy is our health and wellness programming? •Are we providing clear pathways to better health for our team members? •How is our current wellness program being utilized by employees at every level of our company? Benefits of a well-planned wellness program Reduce employee sick leave by more than 20 percent Reduce turnover and improve morale Improve overall employee health Improve safety and reduce workers’ compensation claims Increase productivity Build employee trust, pride and commitment Strengthen company culture Your company’s wellness program shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all solution. Every organization’s workforce is different, which means customization is key. If you’re seeing low adoption or utilization rates of your current programming, it’s important to evaluate its fit for your employee’s needs. Effective wellness programs should be specially designed around your company’s: •Culture •Budgets •Workforce population and location •Identified risk •Specific needs On-site wellness programs offered by Novant Health Corporate Health Our programs have a track record for success and are designed to meet your employees exactly where they are. Tobacco cessation Weight management, including personalized meal and exercise plans Stress management Mobile mammography Educational programs Health coaching Let Novant Health Corporate Health customize a wellness program for your company today. Call 1-866-634-9425 or visit NovantHealth.org/corphealth. 4 Productivity, health and convenience go hand-in-hand-in-hand In today’s high-demand, fast-paced work environment, convenience is critical to productivity. At an increasing rate, companies across the nation are recognizing the value of offering high-quality, highly accessible care options for their employees without having to leave the building or campus. At Novant Health, we offer on-site employee health clinics and pharmacies to our team members, with discounts provided at each to incentivize utilization and help By cutting down on off-site us better manage costs. travel time, our clients have seen boosts in productivity, Not only do we offer these walk-in decreases in absenteeism health services within our own walls, we and overall improvements partner with many companies across the to their employees’ health. Southeast to do the same. Our on-site wellness centers function as a private medical clinic for a company’s workforce. Employees have access to walk-in services, including treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, as well as basic lab tests and preventive care. They are staffed by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, under the general supervision of a licensed physician, ensuring the highest quality of care. By cutting down on off-site travel time, our clients have seen boosts in productivity, decreases in absenteeism and overall improvements to their employees’ health. Interested in an on-site wellness center for your company? Call 1-866-634-9425 or visit NovantHealth.org/corphealth. 5 Teamwork makes the dream work In 2016, more of Novant Health’s team members and their dependents used providers, facilities and services throughout the Novant Health network. This system-wide collaboration between our team members and provider partners resulted in lower healthcare costs across our organization. Most importantly, it meant that our team members — as patients — benefited from highly coordinated, high-quality care and a laser-sharp focus on prevention. As you consider healthcare options for your own team members, it’s important to find a solution that’s right for you. Access, quality and cost are some of the most important factors to consider when evaluating your options for a healthcare partner. Equally important is the coordination of care between providers and When companies partner facilities, which eliminates duplicate tests, with us, they join a conflicting care plans and the unnecessary collaborative network of costs associated with disjointed care. physician partners and support services reaching When companies partner with Novant Health more than 4 million Corporate Health, they join a collaborative people across four states. network of physician partners and support services reaching more than 4 million people across four states. All of our corporate health programs include access to our entire network with expedited appointments and the convenience of video and e-visits. And the care that we provide is all connected through our industry-leading electronic health record system, meaning that test results, health history and care plans are accessible to both patients and their physicians whenever and wherever they need them. We can help In the world of rising healthcare costs, Novant Health can help you start to bend your own cost curve just like we did for our organization in 2016. Contact Novant Health Corporate Health to begin saving on your healthcare costs today. Email us at [email protected] or call 1-866-634-9425. © Novant Health, Inc. 2017 5/17 • NH-156815